Kidney Transplant

A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure done to put a kidney from a donor to an individual whose kidneys have failed (Tucker et al., 2019). The therapeutic modality selected (kidney transplant) was introduced into the care plan of a patient with end-stage renal failure. The patient was a 43-year-old patient who had symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes. The patient developed end-stage renal disease of unknown cause. Despite numerous treatments and dialysis, the patient did not recover. After discussions with him, he was put on the kidney transplant list to get a new kidney. Our assignment writing help is at affordable prices to students of all academic levels and academic disciplines.

Explanation and Background

A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure done to give a healthy kidney from a donor (living or dead) to an individual whose kidneys are no longer functioning efficiently (Tucker et al., 2019). Due to the failure of the kidney to filter substances, there is an accumulation of waste and fluids in the body, which raises the blood pressure in the body, leading to kidney failure. End-stage renal failure results when the kidney loses approximately 90% of its filtering ability (Benjamin & Lappin, 2021). A kidney transplant is used in individuals with end-stage renal failure. A kidney transplant occurs through a surgical incision in the lower abdomen and insertion of the donor’s kidney. The new kidney’s blood vessels are then linked to the blood vessels in the lower abdominal part, while the ureter is connected to the urinary bladder. (Mayo Clinic, 2021). There are individuals not eligible for a kidney transplant, including advanced age, dementia, alcohol abuse, and cancer treatment (Mayo Clinic, 2021). Kidney transplant is surgery like any other, and hence, healthcare professionals must ensure that it is done in a manner that ensures patient safety. Patients undergoing a kidney transplant must also receive immunosuppressant medications to help minimize rejection of the donor organ (Jones-Hughes et al., 2016). Kidney transplant surgery is expensive, and immunosuppressive therapy is even more costly. It, however, improves the patient’s quality of life.

Benefits and Risks

Kidney transplant is the treatment of choice in ESRD. It leads to patients’ enhanced quality of life, reduced mortality risk, and limited dietary limitations. The health risks associated with kidney transplants include surgery complications, organ rejection, and side effects of immunosuppressants. Complications of the surgery include blood clots, heart attack, stroke, and death (Mayo Clinic, 2021). Side effects from the immunosuppressants include osteoporosis, diabetes, alopecia, high cholesterol, edema, weight gain, and acne (Jones-Hughes et al., 2016). A kidney transplant has its risks, and it is up to the patient to decide to want a transplant.

To improve positive outcomes, the patient must be evaluated before the surgery. The evaluation will involve a physical exam, imaging studies, blood tests, and psychological assessment. The patient will be assessed if they are healthy enough to undergo surgery and tolerate life-long immunosuppressive therapy (Mayo Clinic, 2021). In addition to this, they will determine any comorbid conditions that can interfere with the transplant (Mayo Clinic, 2021). The patient will also be advised on the benefits of taking immunosuppressive medications to minimize donor organ rejection. In addition to this, the donor and the recipient are assessed for compatibility through blood typing, tissue typing, and cross-match (Mayo Clinic, 2021). This reduces the chance of donor organ rejection. The patient should also stay healthy by taking prescribed drugs, following dietary guidelines, and not smoking cigarettes. After the surgery, the patient is monitored in the hospital to watch for any complications. The patient also has frequent checkups and takes lifelong immunosuppressive therapy.

Interdisciplinary Team’s Roles and Responsibilities

A multidisciplinary healthcare team is required for the success of any surgical procedure. The nephrologist will be the team leader who is trained to treat kidney diseases. They will be in charge of patient care before and after the surgery (National Kidney Foundation (NKF), 2017). They are responsible for long-term patient care. Advanced practice nurses and physician assistants will collaborate with the nephrologist to provide patient care (NKF, 2017). A Nephrology nurse will coordinate patient care in the multidisciplinary team (NKF, 2017). Renal nutritionists will provide comprehensive nutritional assessment and education (NKF, 2017). A nephrology social worker will counsel the patient and the family to cope with the kidney disease (NKF, 2017). A transplant surgeon will be in charge of conducting the transplant surgery (NKF, 2017).

Nurses are critical in the healthcare team. Advanced practitioner nurses and registered nurses will collaborate with the nephrologist during patient care. They will assess and monitor the patient, administer patient medications, and counsel and advise the patient. A nephrology nurse coordinates care among the healthcare disciplinary team. They plan patient care and implement follow-up procedures. One challenge of working in a multidisciplinary team is the lack of definition of the team members’ roles (Rosell et al., 2018). This leads to ineffective communication, which will result in poor coordination of care, which leads to negative patient outcomes.

Nursing Scope of Practice

Nephrology nurses care for patients with kidney diseases. Nephrology nurses require specific knowledge and expertise in renal disease care. They have a master’s degree in nursing. They must know all aspects of pediatric and adult kidney care, including anatomy, physiology, pharmacotherapy, pharmacology, diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases, nutrition, research, and palliative care (American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA), 2019). A nephrology nurse should be compassionate and a good communicator with analytical skills. In addition to this, they must be excellent care coordinators and have skills in patient education, monitoring of vital signs, and emergency room care. A nephrology nurse must have intent in clinical practice, be curious in acquiring information concerning renal conditions, have self-confidence, and have the professional motivation to care for their patients. In addition, they must be resilient.

Patient Education

Patient education involves pre-care and post-care during a kidney transplant. This will include the importance of healthy lifestyle dietary modifications and exercise (Mayo Clinic, 2021). The patient will further be advised on the risk of the surgery and any complications that can arise from it. Furthermore, the patient will be informed of the benefits of immunosuppressive therapy and lifelong medications (Mayo Clinic, 2021). In addition to this, the patient and his family will be educated on various coping strategies that they can turn to in case of any anxiety or fear.

The patient education will be done openly and transparently. All the information will be in a simple language that the patient can understand. The patient will be allowed to ask questions, and the answers will be prompt. In case the patient does not understand, the education will be repeated. In addition to this, the patient will be redirected to the websites of organizations that have educational materials concerning kidney transplants. Cultural differences determine how patients receive the information and their willingness to change their lifestyles (Handtke et al., 2019). Nurses must thus consider patient cultures, such as beliefs, values, and behaviors when providing patient education. They must also consider religion, past trauma, and language barriers. The effectiveness of the instruction will be evaluated by checking on the lifestyle modifications that the patient has implemented. It will also assess medication compliance and patient outcomes.

Conclusion

This paper discussed kidney transplants as a therapeutic modality. It discussed explaining the therapeutic modality, benefits, risks, the role of the interdisciplinary team in kidney transplants, and patient education. In addition to this, it discussed the scope of practice of nurses in kidney transplants. Individuals can access more i

References

American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA). (2019, April 9). The nephrology nursing specialty – Background information. American Nephrology Nurses Association. https://www.annanurse.org/professional-development/practice/scope-of-practice/background-information

Benjamin, O., & Lappin, S. L. (2021, February 4). End-stage renal disease. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499861/

Handtke, O., Schilgen, B., & Mösko, M. (2019). Culturally competent healthcare – A scoping review of strategies implemented in healthcare organizations and a model of culturally competent healthcare provision. PLOS ONE, 14(7), e0219971. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219971

Jones-Hughes, T., Snowsill, T., Haasova, M., Coelho, H., Crathorne, L., Cooper, C., Mujica-Mota, R., Peters, J., Varley-Campbell, J., Huxley, N., Moore, J., Allwood, M., Lowe, J., Hyde, C., Hoyle, M., Bond, M., & Anderson, R. (2016). Immunosuppressive therapy for kidney transplantation in adults: A systematic review and economic model. Health Technology Assessment, 20(62), 1-594. https://doi.org/10.3310/hta20620

Mayo Clinic. (2021). Kidney Transplant. ps://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/kidney-transplant/about/pac-20384777

National Kidney Foundation (NKF). (2017, February 3). Health care team. National Kidney Foundation. https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/healthcareteam

Rosell, L., Alexandersson, N., Hagberg, O., & Nilbert, M. (2018). Benefits, barriers, and opinions on multidisciplinary team meetings: A survey in Swedish cancer care. BMC Health Services Research, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-018-2990-4

Tucker, E. L., Smith, A. R., Daskin, M. S., Schapiro, H., Cottrell, S. M., Gendron, E. S., Hill-Callahan, P., Leichtman, A. B., Merion, R. M., Gill, S. J., & Maass, K. L. (2019). Life and expectations post-kidney transplant: A qualitative analysis of patient responses. BMC Nephrology, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-019-1368-0

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Question

The purpose of this assignment is for the student to present a complete picture of interdisciplinary care using specific therapeutic modalities in the care of a complex adult health client. The student will demonstrate clinical reasoning skills and will discuss interdisciplinary care that had been incorporated and anticipated using a healthcare technology or therapeutic modality for the maintenance of the complex health client.

Kidney Transplant

Course outcomes: This assignment enables the student to meet the following course outcomes:

Provide patient and family-centered nursing care to adults with complex health needs using theories and principles of nursing and related disciplines. (PO 1)
Initiate the use of appropriate resources in direct care responsibilities within complex adult health (PO 2)
Demonstrate effective therapeutic communication and relationship skills in family-centered nursing care to adults with complex health needs. (PO 3)
Demonstrate effective clinical decision-making based on critical thinking skills and legal, ethical, and professional standards and principles when caring for patients and families with complex adult health (POs 4 and 6)
Implement a plan of care for continued personal, professional, and educational development related to nursing practice with complex adult health situations. (PO 5)
Use evidence, including research findings from nursing and related disciplines, to answer clinical questions related to the nursing care of patients with complex adult health needs. (PO 8)

Preparing the assignment

Follow these guidelines when completing this assignment. Speak with your faculty member if you have questions.

Choose a therapeutic modality or healthcare.
Examples of therapeutic modalities include Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, Automatic rotating pronation beds, right and left ventricular assist devices and nontraditional ventilators.
Examples of healthcare technology can include regional O2 saturation monitoring (NIRS).
Refer to your faculty member if your selection requires prior
Write a 4-5 page paper (not including the title page or reference page) using APA

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Kidney Transplant